


If Not Now, Eventually

by Augment



Category: One Piece
Genre: Fluff, M/M, slightly cracky, temporary accidental baby acquisition
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-05-28
Packaged: 2021-03-03 00:27:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24125884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Augment/pseuds/Augment
Summary: "Why do you have a baby?"
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Roronoa Zoro
Comments: 22
Kudos: 339





	If Not Now, Eventually

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know what happened here, just a little bit of fluffy nonsense.

"Why do you have a baby?"

Luffy doesn’t usually pay attention to minor details, but he feels like in this case the question is warranted.

The baby, ensconced in a fluffy white blanket and held securely in Zoro's arms, stares at Luffy with wide, unblinking eyes. It hadn't been there five minutes ago when Luffy had left to go and buy meatballs from a nearby food stall, and Luffy is understandably confused.

Zoro looks down at the child, equally baffled. "Some woman just ran by and shoved it at me," he says. After a moment he adds, "She was being chased by some mean-looking thugs," even though it doesn’t really explain anything.

Luffy squints at the child. "What're you going to do with it?"

Zoro ignores Luffy in favour of muttering, "Why does this keep happening to me?", and then waggling the fingers of his free hand at the baby.

The baby smiles, toothlessly, and makes a clumsy attempt at grabbing Zoro's fingers. Zoro lets him get a hold of one, and the baby's tiny fist barely wraps all the way around the digit. Zoro's mouth twitches up at the corner.

The baby is cute, face chubby and sweet. Zoro's holding him like he's had experience with this sort of thing, and it makes him look unexpectedly gentle. Something weird curls in Luffy's chest, starting at his heart and spreading outwards.

Luffy makes some very wild assumptions, and then hears his mouth ask, "It's not related to you, is it?"

Zoro shifts the baby to a more comfortable position, and gives Luffy a Look, which clearly says that he's not dignifying Luffy's dumb question with an answer.

The weird feeling resolves itself into a deep affection.

"There's space on the ship for a kid's room," Luffy says, choosing the least embarrassing of the options floating through his head at the moment.

Zoro looks scandalised. "We're not keeping it!"

"Well, what else are you going to do with it?" Luffy asks, reasonably.

The baby makes a sort of _urr_ noise, and reaches up at Zoro. Preoccupied, Zoro leans in and lets the child grab and pull at the neckline of his t-shirt.

"Dunno," Zoro says thoughtfully. "I was just kind of going to wait here in case the woman came back."

Luffy can't really think of an objection to this plan. He rocks back and forth on his heels for thirty seconds, while they both wait for the mother to eventuate.

"It suits you," Luffy says after a bit.

Zoro gives him another what-the-hell look, about his third in as many minutes, which is probably some kind of record.

"Do you want kids?" Luffy asks, figuring that since he's already started digging the hole he might as well keep going.

"What?" Zoro demands, looking blindsided by the question.

"I don't mean _now_ ," Luffy clarifies, trying to pretend like this is a normal conversation to have with his first mate, who he's also been thinking about maybe kissing for a couple of months. "In like," Luffy looks to the sky as he tries to do the maths, "ten years, or something?"

Zoro stares at him. Luffy adopts his best vacant expression and stares back.

"Not sure," Zoro says slowly. "Never really thought about it."

"Right," Luffy says, choosing to inspect the brickwork of a nearby building instead of meeting Zoro's eyes.

"What about you?" Zoro asks, in a tone that is equal parts confused by what Luffy wants from him but is also genuinely interested in the answer.

Something inside Luffy paints the picture of a small son or daughter, shrieking with laughter as an older Luffy chases them around a grassy field. It’s attractive, in a distant sort of way.

"Maybe," Luffy says, and shrugs. "Might be nice to have a family, later."

"Sure," Zoro says. "Yeah." He looks down at the child, to avoid looking at Luffy. "With, uh, with someone."

The baby, bored with Zoro's t-shirt, flings a hand wildly upward and smacks Zoro in the jaw, then grabs at his chin. Luffy laughs at the startled look on Zoro's face, which fades into an affectionate grin as he watches Zoro re-adjust the child, and then lets it grab one of his fingers again.

"With someone," Luffy agrees, still smiling, and then decides _fuck it_ and adds, "Like you."

Zoro goes wide-eyed and jerks his head up to stare at Luffy, but before he can say anything they're interrupted by the loud sound of running feet. They turn, and see a woman pelting down the road towards them.

"Is that the woman who gave you the baby?" Luffy asks.

"Uh, yeah," Zoro manages.

The woman reaches them, shrieks, "My baby!", and grabs the bundle out of Zoro's arms. She sets off running again, baby clasped to her chest, and disappears around a corner.

Zoro and Luffy watch after her for a few minutes, but no explanation eventuates.

"At least she lost the thugs," Zoro says finally.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

"Okay, cool." Luffy fidgets slightly. "So, uh, we should go back to the ship, I guess-"

Luffy's sentence is interrupted by Zoro leaning in and pressing their lips together. Luffy makes a delighted sound, and curls his hand around the back of Zoro's neck to deepen the kiss.

"Ha!" Luffy says, softly triumphant, when they pull apart a few seconds later.

" _Don't_ ," Zoro grumbles, red with embarrassment. "Fucking, can you just, like- _baby steps_ , okay."

Luffy looks delighted at the accidental pun, and Zoro groans and turns away, but Luffy grabs his hand and reels him in again.

"Baby steps," Luffy agrees, and tugs Zoro close for another kiss.


End file.
